Boat Harbour / North Island / New Zealand

One of the more challenging waves in the area, this spot should only be surfed by those with a bit of experience.  It needs a big swell before it will go off, so make sure you check the surf forecasts before heading out here.

The beach is sandy and quite small, just on the west side of the rivermouth.  You’ll only see a handful of other surfers out during the week, but it gets crowded early at weekends if the weather and conditions are good.  Sea temperatures will average about 20 C in summer, and 14 C in winter.

For this spot to work you need the wind to come from the northwest, west or southwest and the swell to come from the southeast, east or northeast.  It works on rising and falling tides, at all tide levels, and the swell will build from 1m – 1.5 m up to about 2.5m.  It breaks to the right, over a reef, and these waves are fast, hollow and heavy.  Length is much the same as the rest of the area, ranging from 50 m to 150 m on most days.

There aren’t any facilities on this beach at all, and most of the surrounding buildings are residential.  Your best bet is to make this a day trip from Gisborne, which has plenty of accommodation, nightlife and entertainment and is a good place to use as a base.

Mind the rocks, they’re sharp and not far below the surface, therefore you need to know what you are doing before heading out here.